Loose leaf binder



May 18, 1937.

F. s. SCHADE LOOSE- LEAF BINDER Filed July 12, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS I Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFmr.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application July 12, 1935, Serial N0. 30,971

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in loose leaf books. Its object is to simplify the construction and make a better book. The means by which this is done will first be disclosed and then its distinguishing features pointed out.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a plan view of a single piece of book cover material used as my foundation piece, for

example leather;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of a single piece of metal, aluminum for example, formed for assembly on the back panel portion of the cover material;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the assembly after the back panel cover material and metal portion have been given a curved shape;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cover before the loose leaf mechanism is attached;

Fig. 5 is a plan View, and

Fig. 6 is an edge view of the finished book with the loose leaf mechanism attached; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 5 with the rings in open position.

The invention resides in the new combination of elements. There is nothing new in the metallic loose leaf ring mechanism per se which I have indicated at It and the parts of which can be seen of one conventional form in Fig. 7. As is well known, this form comprises a spring plate I0, holding toggle plates l! which carry the rings 42, all of which, except the rings, is covered up by a cover plate l 3. It is usual to operate the toggle plates H as by lifting them with pivoted toggle levers it, indicated in Fig. 5. The

rings may be closed by hand and this action will lower toggle plates M. It will be understood that the parts of the ring manipulating mechanism may be assembled in the trough-shaped spring plate 50 or disassembled after the spring plate i0 is fastened to the back panel of the book. So, in my description, where I say the mechanism it is fastened to the back panel, I mean that spring plate 55' is fastened and the rest of the ring manipulating mechanism is then assembled in the spring plate. The construction by which the cover, back panel, back panel stiffener plate are made to carry the loose leaf mechanism it will now be described.

The book illustrated is one that would be used for carrying in the pocket. The two covers I and 2 are, for example, of limp leather joined by a back panel portion 3, all in one simple integral piece. The metal piece of Fig. 2 is formed to have portion 1 serve as an outside plate on the back panel. Its exposed face may be and preferably is finished to harmonize with the leather of the cover material. Portions 5 and 5 are bent over to lie on the inside of the back panel leather portion 3. Ears and 8 are struck up in portions 5 and 6, respectively, for attaching 5 the metallic loose leaf mechanism I0. I prefer to shorten the length of portion 3 in the leather,

as shown in Fig. 1, just enough to have the bent over ends of portion 4 in line with the edges of covers I and 2 or a little below this line, see Fig. 10 a. The idea is to keep all metal inside this line toavoid protuberances.

The single piece of cover material shown in Fig. 1 is assembled with the single piece of back panel metal shown in Fig. 2. This assembly is 15 in flat form. The fiat assembly of the back panel is then preferably shaped by die pressure to the form of Fig. 3. The dies have cut-away portions to clear ears 1 and 8 so they may remain in struck out position. 20

When the assembly is curved to the form of Fig. 3 the leather is gripped between the curves of. metal portion 4 and overlying portions 5 and 6. These curves serve to substantially stiffen the whole metal piece which can be, therefore, of 25 thin, light weight stock. The pressure assembly of the dies fixes and binds the parts together as their form results in a sufiiciently secure attachment ready for the mounting of the loose leaf mechanism on ears 1 and 8 so that when these 30 ears are bent over the whole assembly is locked together. And this attachment is made without rivets or the like and without piercing either the leather or metal. The material of the back panel is left with unbroken surface.

A customary way to fasten the back panel plate to limp cover material of this kind is to rivet through the loose leaf structure, the limp material, and the back metal or stiffener panel. The objection is that the rivet heads show at 40 the back and mar the appearance of the book. My construction avoids this trouble in a simple manner.

When, according to my invention, the binding case is ready to receive the loose leaf mechanism 45 ill, the latter is attached by ears 7 and 8 entering appropriate slots in the back of said mechanism and bound thereto by bending the ears down. This is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The loose leaf mechanism (for example, the con- 50 ventional type having a spring plate, toggle plates, and cover plate, as shown in Fig. 7) when attached by the ears 1 and 8 to the spring plate ill will hold the portions 5 and 6 fiat, and locked in the position of Fig. 4. The toggle plates ll, 55

with hooks i2 and cover plate 13, are then assembled in the usual way. Thus, at the end of r the assembly operation it will be seen that all metal parts have been attached and locked to the back panel portion of the one-piece (leather, for example) binding case, but without piercing it at any part. And the metal band portion 4 with its overlapping portions 5 and 6 are absolutely held in position by the superposed loose leaf mechanism attached to portions 5 and 6.

In some prior constructions ears like I and 8 are struck up from a metallic back panel passed through the limp cover material and used to fasten the loose leaf mechanism. But that leaves openings in the exposed metal of the back panel Where the ears are struck up.

It will be noted that not only does my improved structure give a better outside book appearance but also results in a better assembly at the back of the book. The limp or weaker material in the back panel is substantially enircled by a metallic band. This band is unbroken at the exposed back. It is bent over and its free ends lie on the inside of the back panel. When the metallic loose leaf mechanism is attached to the inside portions 5 and 6, these portions are necessarily bound down to the exact position desired. There is no possibility of the metallic band moving out of place.

I have illustrated and described a particular book made of one piece of leather, one metallic encircling back panel band, and one metallic loose leaf structure. These parts as described can be made up for a fine quality loose leaf notebook to be carried in the pocket. The features of the invention disclosed may be used to advantage even Where the covers and back panel,

apart from the stiffening band, are made of laminated material.

What I have disclosed is intended as an improvement to give both manufacturers advantages in making the book and a better construction for the book itself.

The construction provides an improved form for the book users advantage.

What I claim is:

l. The combination of a binding case comprising covers and an intermediate back panel, a stiffener plate in the form of a band extended longitudinally of and substantially all around the back panel, said band comprising a single piece with its ends brought substantially together on the inside face of the back panel, a metallic loose leaf structure fastened to the portion of the stiffener plate lying on the inside face of the back panel and means for fastening said structure to the stiffener plate on top of the end portions on the inside face of the back panel. 7

2. A loose leaf book comprising two covers and a back panel all made of a single piece of limp material, a long metallic band laid on the outside of the back panel with opposite ends bent over, the edges of the back panel to lie on the inside of the back panel, a metallic loose leaf structure mounted on top of the said bent-over ends and fastened to the book solely by attachment to that portion of the said band lying on the inside of the back panel, and means for making such attachment, said means being spaced inwardly from the end bends.

3. In a loose leaf book construction, the combination of one piece of leather-like material in the form of two covers and a back panel, a onepiece metal band having a width equal to the width of the back panel, covering the outside thereof in unbroken form and bent over the ends to lie against the inside face of the back panel, said band being stiffened by a transversely curved form of the band and back panel, loose leaf mechanism, fastened in the book on top of and by attachment to the metal band, and means for making said attachment at points spaced from the end bends.

4. A loose leaf book comprising a rectangular piece of leather-like material, a narrow band of metal laid across said material centrally to make a stiff back panel, said band being bent over the edges of the material so as to lie on both sides thereof and for substantially the whole length of the inside as well as the outside of the back panel, and a loose leaf mechanism attached only to said bent-over ends of the band on the inside face of the leather-like material, said bent-over ends underlying the bottom part of the loose leaf mechanism and attaching means spaced from the ends of the back panel.

. 5. The structure of claim 4 in combination with the leather-like material and the band at the back panel being formed with a curved crosssection in all portions.

6. The structure of claim 4 in combination with the leather-like material at the back panel portion being notched Where the band is bent over so as to keep the metal inside the edges of such material.

'7. A loose leaf book having covers and a back panel portion arranged in one sheet form, a plate of curved cross-section having an unbroken portion covering the outside of the back panel portion and with its ends extending over opposite ends of the back panel and returning along the inside face thereof, said inside portions of the plate having attaching means, and loose leaf mechanism attached to said means.

8. A loose leaf book comprising covers and back panel in one sheet form, one band of thin metal wrapped around the length of the back panel on the outside and along substantially the whole length along the inside of the back panel to make a loop with the ends of the loop on the inside face of the back panel, said metal band being shaped to a curved cross-sectional form and pinching the Wrapped back panel in such form, and a metallic loose leaf mechanism attached solely to the inside portions of the band so as to leave the outside of the band free'of attaching means, said loose leaf mechanism resting entirely on top of said loop ends substantially as described.

FRANK STANLEY SCI-IADE. 

